《THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER》第40章

fall　of　a　dream　was ever　heard。　let　him　sit　beside　these　other　three　and　drink　oblivion　till　you　return。”
〃oh；　do　lets　do　that；　caspian；〃　said　lucy。　〃im　sure　its　just　what　he would　love。”
at　that　moment　they　were　interrupted　by　the　sound　of　many　feet　and　voices： drinian　and　the　rest　of　the　ship　pany　were　approaching。　they　halted　in　surprise　whey they　saw　ramandu　and　his　daughter；　and　then；　because　these　were　obviously　great people；　every　man　uncovered　his　head。　some　sailors　eyed　the　empty　dishes　and　flagons　on the　table　with　regret。
〃my　lord；〃　said　the　king　to　drinian；　〃pray　send　two　men　back　to　the　dawn treader　with　a　message　to　the　lord　rhoop。　tell　him　that　the　last　of　his　old　shipmates are　here　asleep　…　a　sleep　without　dreams　…　and　that　he　can　share　it。”
when　this　had　been　done；　caspian　told　the　rest　to　sit　down　and　laid　the whole　situation　before　them。　when　he　had　finished　there　was　a　long　silence　and　some whispering　until　presently　the　master　bowman　got　to　his　feet；　and　said： 〃what　some　of　us　have　been　wanting　to　ask　for　a　long　time；　your　majesty；　is how　were　ever　to　get　home　when　we　do　turn；　whether　we　turn　here　or　somewhere　else。 its　been　west　and　north…west　winds　all　the　way；　barring　an　occasional　calm。　and　if that　doesnt　change；　id　like　to　know　what　hopes　we　have　of　seeing　narnia　again。　theres not　much　chance　of　supplies　lasting　while　we　row　all　that　way。
〃thats　landsmans　talk；〃　said　drinian。　〃theres　always　a　prevailing　west wind　in　these　seas　all　through　the　late　summer；　and　it　always　changes　after　the　new　year。 well　have　plenty　of　wind　for　sailing　westward；　more　than　we　shall　like　from　all accounts。”
〃thats　true；　master；〃　said　an　old　sailor　who　was　a　galmian　by　birth。　〃you get　some　ugly　weather　rolling　up　from　the　east　in　january　and　february。　and　by　your leave；　sire；　if　i　was　in　mand　of　this　ship　id　say　to　winter　here　and　begin　the　voyage home　in　march。”
〃whatd　you　eat　while　you　were　wintering　here？〃　asked　eustace。
〃this　table；〃　said　ramandu；　〃will　be　filled　with　a　kings　feast　every　day at　sunset。”
〃now　youre　talking！〃　said　several　sailors。
〃your　majesties　and　gentlemen　and　ladies　all；〃　said　rynelf；　〃theres　just one　thing　i　want　to　say。　theres　not　one　of　us　chaps　as　was　pressed　on　this　journey。　were volunteers。　and　theres　some　here　chat　are　looking　very　hard　at　that　table　and　thinking about　kings　feasts　who　were　talking　very　loud　about　adventures　on　the　day　we　sailed　from　cair paravel；　and　swearing　they　wouldnt　e　home　till　wed　found　the　end　of　the　world。　and there　were　some　standing　on　the　quay　who　would　have　given　all　they　had　to　e　with us。　it　was　thought　a　finer　thing　then　to　have　a　cabin…boys　berth　on　the　dawn　treader than　to　wear　a　knights　belt。　i　dont　know　if　you　get　the　hang　of　what　im　saying。　but what　i　mean　is　that　i　think　chaps　who　set　out　like　us　will　look　as　silly　as　…　as　those dufflepuds　…　if　we　e　home　and　say　we　got　to　the　beginning　of　the　worlds　end　and　hadnt　the heart　to　go　further。”
some　of　the　sailors　cheered　at　this　but　some　said　that　that　was　all　very well。
〃this　isnt　going　to　be　much　fun；〃　whispered　edmund　to　caspian。　〃what　are we　to　do　if　half　those　fellows　hang　back？”
〃wait；〃　caspian　whispered　back。　〃ive　still　a　card　to　play。”
〃arent　you　going　to　say　anything；　reep？〃　whispered　lucy。
〃no。　why　should　your　majesty　expect　it？〃　answered　reepicheep　in　a　voice that　most　people　heard。　〃my　owns　plans　are　made。　while　i　can；　i　sail　east　in　the　dawn treader。
when　she　fails　me；　i　paddle　east　in　my　coracle。　when　she　sinks；　i　shall swim　east　with　my　four　paws。　and　when　i　can　swim　no　longer；　if　i　have　not　reached　aslans country；　or　shot　over　the　edge　of　the　world　in　some　vast　cataract；　i　shall　sink　with　my nose　to　the　sunrise　and　peepiceek　will　be　head　of　the　talking　mice　in　narnia。”
〃hear；　hear；〃　said　a　sailor；　〃ill　say　the　same；　barring　the　bit　about　the coracle；　which　wouldnt　bear　me。〃　he　added　in　a　lower　voice；　〃im　not　going　to　be　outdone by　a　mouse。”
at　this　point　caspian　jumped　to　his　feet。　〃friends；〃　he　said；　〃i　think　you have　not　quite　understood　our　purpose。　you　talk　as　if　we　had　e　to　you　with　our　hat　in our　hand；　begging　for　shipmates。　it　isnt　like　that　at　all。　we　and　our　royal　brother and　sister　and　their　kinsman　and　sir　reepicheep；　the　good　knight；　and　the　lord　drinian have　an　errand　to　the　worlds　edge。　it　is　our　pleasure　to　choose　from　among　such　of　you　as are　willing　those　whom　we　deem　worthy　of　so　high　an　enterprise。　we　have　not　said　that any　can　e　for　the　asking。　that　is　why　we　shall　now　mand　the　lord　drinian　and master　rhince　to　consider　carefully　what　men　among　you　are　the　hardest　in　battle； the　most　skilled　seamen；　the　purest　in　blood；　the　most　loyal　to　our　person；　and　the cleanest　of　life　and　manners；　and　to　give　their　names　to　us　in　a　schedule。〃　he　paused　and went　on　in　a　quicker　voice；　〃aslans　mane！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃do　you　think　that　the privilege　of　seeing　the　last　things　is　to　be　bought　for　a　song？　why；　every　man　that　es　with us　shall　bequeath　the　title　of　dawn　treader　to　all　his　descendants；　and　when　we　land at　cair　paravel　on　the　homeward　voyage　he　shall　have　either　gold　or　land　enough　to make　him　rich　all　his　life。　now　…　scatter　over　the　island；　all　of　you。　in　half　an hours　time　i　shall　receive　the　names　that　lord　drinian　brings　me。”
there　was　rather　a　sheepish　silence　and　then　the　crew　made　their　bows　and moved　away；　one　in　this　direction　and　one　in　that；　but　mostly　in　little　knots　or bunches；　talking。
〃and　now　for　the　lord　rhoop；〃　said　caspian。
but　turning　to　the　head　of　the　table　he　saw　that　rhoop　was　already　there。 he　had　arrived；　silent　and　unnoticed；　while　the　discussion　was　going　on；　and　was　seated beside　the　lord　argoz。　the　daughter　of　ramandu　stood　beside　him　as　if　she　had　just　helped him　into　his　chair；　ramandu　stood　behind　him　and　laid　both　his　hands　on　rhoops　grey head。　even　in　daylight　a　faint　silver　light　came　from　the　hands　of　the　star。　there　was　a smile　on　rhoops　haggard　face。　he　held　out　one　of　his　hands　to　lucy　and　the　other　to caspian。　for　a　moment　it　looked　as　if　he　were　going　to　say　something。　then　his　smile brightened　as　if